2 Engineering Students
by TheRavensRestingPlace
Summary: It starts with 2 engineering students. Two girls surrounded in a sea of boys. Their names were Alex and Piper. Piper was gay - very gay. This was one of the first things that actually attracted Alex to Piper. Alex knew that she and Piper had to be in each other's lives somehow, she just didn't the extent yet. Slight Problem: Piper was engaged.
1. In the Beginning

It starts with 2 engineering students. These two students are not your typical students. They were two girls surrounded in a sea of boys. Their names were Alex and Piper. Piper was a little older than Alex and had entered college after taking a few years for self-discovery. What she had discovered was that despite living under a very conservative roof for her entire childhood, she was gay – very gay. She fell someone between Ellen DeGeneres and Ellen Page on the Kenzie Scale and she had no shame in it. This was one of the first things that actually attracted Alex to Piper. See, Alex was just as gay. She had known her entire life, but no one else knew, not even her roommate, Lorna. Alex was an introvert and did not devolve personal information to just anyone. Her mother, Diane, was the closest person to her and not even Diane knew.

At school, Alex would attend study groups that she knew Piper would be at so that she could gather more information at Piper and get as close to her as she could. She knew that she and Piper had to be in each other's lives somehow, she just didn't know the extent yet. She would settle for friends for now because there was a slight problem – and by slight it was actually pretty big. Piper was engaged.

Piper and Alex were the same year in school pursing the same major so coincidentally their schedules lined up for the most part. The first time Alex laid eyes on Piper, she was in the center of a big study group. Piper was so confident in the way she spoke. Alex was instantly drawn to her. Her friend was one of the members in Piper's group, but Alex still hesitated before approaching. You only get one chance to make a first impression and she wanted hers to be good. She walked with as much confidence as she could muster and approached the group.

"Hey, how far have you guys gotten?" Alex spoke with the confidence she didn't feel.

"Hey, Alex! Guys, this is Alex. She's in our class too." Alex's friend introduced her. Piper looked up and their eyes met. Cue the cheesy music and slow-mo camera, a connection between the two was made. Piper immediately wanted to know more about Alex.

"Hey, Alex. We are now trying to make the walls in our dungeons." Piper said, making straight eye contact with Alex.

"That's great. I can't stay, but if you guys get that figured out, let me know. Right now my player can walk through my walls." Alex responded with a half smile.

That half smile won over Piper right then. Piper was smitten with this brunette beauty.

 _"Piper! What are you doing!? This girl is no way available either not single or not gay. Plus you are taken. Best case you're going to get is single."_ Piper attempted to correct her thinking as quickly as she could. The intrigue stayed however despite her best efforts. She had to know more about Alex.

With the massive program that the class had to work on, Piper's study group met many more times within the next month. Alex would catch wind of when they would meet and make it a point to be around. But the Library basement?! Why did it have to be the library basement? Alex hated the library and had made it a point to avoid the Library as much as she could up until this point in her degree. However with Piper's study groups going there, she was willing to overcome her aversion to the place and get comfortable. As long as Piper was around, Alex would have gone to the end of the world.

Night after long and drawn out night, the group would meet. Piper was the first to show up and the last to leave. Alex would come, but would sit near the edge and just work on her program. Piper was caught up in this gorgeous brunette that kept to herself. The split second eye contact allowed a connection to form between them and Piper knew it.

 _"What are you doing? You already have a girlfriend."_ Piper scolded herself. _"Get your eyes back on your computer screen and stop thinking about her."_

The truth be told, Piper wasn't happy at home. She wouldn't tell anyone this. She acted like she was an open book for everyone to read, but honestly, she was very closed off the everyone. She was a self-proclaimed introverted extrovert. Piper was a "people-person who hated people."

Throughout the semester, Alex and Piper barely spoke. Each was intimidated by the other. Piper assumed Alex was straight and Alex assumed Piper was happy at home. Their friendship grew however, as classmates. Strangely, despite their mild and intermittent communication, they considered each other a good friend and trusted each other completely. Piper knew that she couldn't Alex in the eyes. Since the first time their eyes met she was drawn in and knew that if she looked her in the eyes again, she would be sucked in for good. Alex had hidden her sexuality her entire life and was able to continue to do so, but to hid it from this girl who she trusted completely was different. She wanted to welcome her into her bubble of safety, still she was afraid. Alex couldn't make eye contact either. Once she did, she knew that her walls would collapse into a heap of rubble.

As it would go, the next semesters lined up again and Alex and Piper had more classes together. Generally speaking though, Alex and Piper hung out with different crowds, but keeping an eye on the other. If Alex found out that Piper would be hanging out in the commons area in between classes, she would take the long way around just to make an appearance. Same went for Piper. When she found out that Alex had a class that was next door to hers, she would arrive early, hang around in the hallway and leave early, again hanging around, hoping to just get a glance of the sexy beast named Alex. Something about Alex had Piper spellbound. Sure she was gorgeous and smart, but would it really mean ending the comfortable relationship that she currently had, uprooting her mundane life, for a girl that was probably straight? Little did Piper know, but Alex was feeling the same thing.

Those quick passes in the hall or in the commons area were not accidental for either party involved. When Alex and Piper had classes together, they would casually walk with each other to their next class, even if one had to walk out of their way without the other knowing. This cat and mouse game continued for a year and a half.

Everything would change in their senior year though. Maybe the stars aligned, or the cosmos was in sync... or maybe their schedules just happened to coincide conventionally because it was the senior year as computer engineers and you can only take so many classes then. Whatever the reason, the two found themselves in several classes together. Now was the time for one to act or lose what they might have forever to graduation. Everything seemed to bringing them together perfectly. Almost as if everything about this was _inevitable_.


	2. Chapter 2: Go Get Your Girl

Chapter 2: "Go Get Your Girl"

It was probably the semester before senior year when Alex lost her dead weight of a girlfriend. No one understood why she was with someone so dainty. Alex was tough. She was tall, strong, and confident to anyone who saw her. Alex was also amazing in her classes. Her mastery level at procrastination would deceive people who didn't know, but she was the best at crunch time. To Alex, class time was a waste. She could sit down, read the book, and teach herself better than a professor ever could. Alex just wasn't one to be told what to do, even when it came to learning.

Piper was quite the opposite. She was the diligent note taker. She needed the class time and the study groups to get the grades she did. Piper wasn't a slacker. As soon as she was assigned a project or task, she began working toward completion. Piper was in as many study groups as she could cram into one day. This was mostly to learn, but partly to stay away from home. Her home life was depressing. She would go home to her girlfriend and go through the motions. Her girlfriend and her were pretty much roommates. There had been no intimacy in years, but both piper and her girlfriend were content on where they were. Things were easier to stay together and be unhappy than to actually separate.

Piper thrived at school. She was a definitely a person who needed to be around people. This was a pitfall for Piper, but she was doing fine as long as she was on campus. Alone, Piper's mind would begin to wonder and anxiety would throw her into a whirlwind. Piper was one of those people who constantly had to be doing something or actively onto the next task.

Alex was the opposite. Alex was very composed and confident by herself. She knew who she was. She loved to read and listen to music. Music was what made Alex tick too. She knew indie music as well as mainstream. Walking to and from campus, you would always catch her with at least one headphone bud hanging from her ear with the cord connected to her phone in her pocket. She walked with the ease of someone who was confident in their own shoes. Whether Alex was as confident as her walk was another story.

Spring semester of their junior year, Alex started making the first move to get noticed by Piper.

Sitting backwards on top of her desk so that she was facing piper she said "What did you think about that lab?"

Piper, who was mesmerized by the grace that Alex jumped on the desk wondering how she could ooze such coolness composed herself.

"It wasn't too bad. Mitch was doing most of the work. He pretty much had it ready to go before class."

"Lucky! My partner doesn't do shit." Piper smiled.

Goddamn that smile. Piper could look at that smile all day.

"At least you get to actually learn what the lab was about." Piper retorted.

"True. True." Alex said sarcastically. Sarcasm was Alex's second language. "I would rather just let him to all the work and let me just write up the report. The report takes no time."

"Yeah, I'm the opposite."

By that time, the professor had entered the room and made a valiant attempt at starting the class. Alex spun on the desk, taking the seat in front of Piper. This was the typical seating that they had taken for the semester. Piper got out her iPad to begin her note taking and Alex got out her pen and paper to either draw or take meaningless notes that she'd never look at again.

With small conversations and quick texts back and forth in class poking fun at the professor or fellow classmates, their friendship grew stronger. Alex loved to make Piper laugh and Piper loved to see Alex's smile. Their blues eyes would still dark around when they spoke directly to each other, though, but they would stand closer and closer.

Piper went home every night to her girlfriend and went through the motions again and again. Finally she asked her, "Are you happy?"

"Sure I'm happy."

"I mean, like, is this what you want?"

"I'm not sure what you're asking?" Piper's girlfriend answer with the look of confusion molding to her face.

"I'm not happy anymore and you know it. We both know it. Neither one of us have been happy in a long time." Piper stated plainly.

"Well… maybe we can work on it."

"Sure…" Piper sighed. She was not happy where she was and all she could think about was Alex. She owed it to her girlfriend to try to make it work though. Right?

Over the break, Alex went home to visit family. Her family meant the world to her, especially her mother, Diane. Alex would play straight the entire time and listen to any gay-bashing she had to just to be close to them. She would not come out just for the simple reason that she didn't want to be disowned. She knew that it would happen. She couldn't help to think that if she ever had a chance with Piper that she would be able to come out for her. Piper.

" _What am I think?! There is no chance I could date Piper. She's taken. She thinks I'm straight! I would never have a chance in hell to even get close to Piper."_ Alex swallowed the wishes and went back into the living room with her mom.

"What's wrong, Alex?" her mom inquired.

"Nothing, mom."

"Don't lie to me. I know when something is bothering you."

Inside Alex's head she can't help but think _"yeah, I want to kiss and touch a girl who is very much off the market and I can't tell a soul."_

"No, mom. I'm fine."

Back in town, Piper was having her a conversation in her own home. She and her girlfriend had been on the rocks, and the rocks that they were currently on were the sharp jagged ones near a waterfall. Back and forth, Piper's girlfriend and she had been arguing about their relationship. Her girlfriend couldn't believe that she wanted to just give up after all the years they'd been together.

"I think I want an open relationship." Piper stated.

"What!?"

"I think it would be good. Couples can do it and survive. I don't feel wanted or loved. This might help."

"I can't believe you could even think something like that is ok!" Piper's girlfriend wanted nothing of the sort and was very clear about her feelings.

After sharp tongued words were thrown at Piper, Piper decided it was best to leave well enough alone. She left the house in a mess of tears and text Alex right away.

 **Piper: We just got into a huge fight. I can't go back home right now.**

 **Alex: What?! What happened!?**

 **Piper: I told her I wanted an open relationship…**

This made Alex pause. She wasn't happy…? She knew that she bitched a lot about home, but who didn't? She legit wasn't happy and she was asking to sleep with other people. Did she have anyone in particular in mind? Could Alex be that person who she could… No! There's no way! Alex did the only thing that she could think of. She knew that she felt strongly for Piper and maybe even loved her. She called her. She had actually never called Piper on the phone, but this seemed the best time to start.

"Hello?" Piper answered through sobs.

"Piper!? Are you ok? What do you mean you can't go home? It's your house!"

"She's pissed. I can't go home."

Alex paused. She's crying. She's heart broken. She loves her girlfriend? Of course she loves her stupid. They're engaged. Alex, being the strong person she is swallowed all her wishes in one gulp and took a breath.

"Well. You need to go back home and get your girl back." Piper couldn't see her, but she had already reached for her keys getting ready to drive back to town to Piper. Her mother stopped her. She couldn't explain to her mother why she was leaving so suddenly without making her mom suspicious of her actions. Girls go through breakups all the time. Why did Alex in particular have to drive 3 hours back for this one girl? _Because I love her._

Alex has always been a protector and this was just another instance of how she was going to protect who she loved even at the cost of herself. When Alex did finally get back in town the next week, things had been somewhat smoothed over between Piper and her girlfriend, but they had both agreed that they weren't happy. Neither one was. They would give it a chance, but neither one had hope that it would stay. Alex had some serious mixed feelings about this.

If Piper was going to be on the market, she wouldn't even give Alex a second glance if she kept thinking she was straight. Alex would have to do something about this. Could she trust Piper? She's kept this secret her whole life. Was Piper worth destroying some walls that were so diligently built?


	3. Chapter 3: Gifs

Chapter 3: Gifs

By the end of the summer, Piper and her girlfriend had broken up. Things were amicable between the two. Her girlfriend was given time to find a place to live and Piper helped her move her things out of her place. With the new semester right around the corner, and their schedules aligning again, Alex decided that she would start trying to get closer to Piper. This was their last year in college. This was her last chance. She had to know where she stood and if Piper felt anything for her.

During the fall break, Alex sat next to Piper in the classes that they had together. Piper never made a move to sit with anyone else, so Alex took this as a good sign. They had also become friends, so this could be taken as a benign gesture as well. Piper had a confidence about her that Alex was drawn to. Now that she was single, so many of Piper's actions could be taken as flirtation. Alex was guarded to this thinking, but sometimes it was hard to overlook.

"Hey." Whispered Piper.

Alex's thought bubble popped and realized she was day dreaming about Piper again instead of paying attention in class.

"Yeah?"

"Look." Piper slightly turned her computer screen to show Alex the comic n her screen. Alex quickly read the meme on the 15" display and smiled due to the humor. In Alex's peripherial, she could see Piper looking at her and smiling. She has noticed more and more that Piper looks her direction a few seconds longer than typical friends do. Is it possible she's interested?

Piper turned the screen back around. She wasn't paying attention to what the professor was talking about. Something about UNIX and commands. She could study it later. Right now she was sitting next to Alex and she would find more things that brought that amazing smile back to Alex's face. She loved that smile. _Loved?_ No. She thought that her friend had a nice smile. Her friend was straight, right?

"Hey, have you had lunch?" Alex asked Piper after class.

Piper had already eaten her daily protein bar that she had every day for breakfast and lunch, but she would NOT pass up the opportunity to spend more time with this beauty.

"Not really." Piper stated simply.

"I was going to grab some Panda Express down in the Student Center. Did you want to join?"

Piper mustered with every bit of restraint that she possibly could to avoid a "YES!" accompanied with the fist pump and responded as coolly as she could. "Sure. Sounds good."

This lunch after class became a daily thing. The place changed, but the company didn't. Every day after class the two had lunch with laughs and talk of class. Sometimes one would by the other's meal, with a weak fight, but promise to "get the next one" since they both knew that there would always be a "next one."

"Guess what?" Alex randomly asks Piper as they are walking back to class after one of their afternoon lunches.

"What?"

"Tree!" Alex laughs as she shoulder plows into Piper bumping her closer to the tree they are passing by. Both girls laugh as Piper pushes Alex playfully back once she gains her balance back.

Walking to and from class or lunch, Alex and Piper would walk closer and closer. Almost touching, but not actually making physical contact.

Piper was bubbling over with excitement about this new relationship with her best friend, but she didn't have anyone to tell since her friends were guys and friends of her ex. She kept it to herself, but at the same time, she wanted someone to know, so she started letting hints drop to Alex herself. The medium of hints: gifs.

Alex and Piper would have entire conversations via gifs when they were texting. Most of the time they were gifs from their favorite show, which had lesbians in it, so hints were easier to drop. Piper would send gif that involved the couple of the show to Alex. Soon Alex would reciprocate with similar gifs. Not clear evidence that Alex showed interest, but it was enough to know that Alex was not homophobic in the slightest. She now knew that Piper was hitting on her and she wasn't running as far away as she could. So, Piper kept doing it. Little more each day. Sometimes Alex would leave a giant question mark for Piper to go mad over.

Piper couldn't get clear enough hints from Alex, so she wanted to try to reach her with something else that could be taken as friendly. Time to bring out the Smarties. Smarties are small candies that Piper likes to snack on when she's coding so when they would be working on particularly hard program together, she would bring out a pack of smarties and offer to share them.

"Smarties?" Piper offered.

"Dude! I love smarties!" Alex's eyes got wide with a smile almost as bright.

"Wanna split with me?"

"Sure!"

Alex and Piper shared that pack of smarties. After that day, Piper made damn sure to grab a pack before leaving the house every morning – just to share them with Alex. Eventually, she brought two packs so that she would either just give the pack to Alex, or they could share more than 1.

"Hey, last one." Alex hands her pack to Piper.

"So?" Piper was confused a pack of Smarties with a single Smartie left.

"I don't eat the last one." Piper thought back. She couldn't recall a single pack where Alex did, in fact, eat the last Smartie. "The last one is always for you."

Piper smiled and ate the last one. Apparently, Alex knew the tradition as well as Piper did and remembered each occasion as well. That had to be a good sign, right?

"Ugh! I cannot figure out why my code isn't running!" Piper exclaimed in extreme frustration. Once again they were in the basement library in a study room where it was just the two of them surrounded in computers and the sexual tension that seems to follow them wherever they went.

"Here, let me look." Alex rolled her chair the foot over to Piper's computer to look at her screen. Piper leaned back in her seat as her mouth went dry at the close proximity. She could smell the aroma of Alex's shampoo, or was that her deodorant? She didn't care. It smelled great. The fact that she was close enough to smell Alex was enough to drive her wild. Piper knew that she was supposed to be looking at the screen, debugging her code too, but instead, she was looking at Alex's outstretched neck. Man, she had a sexy neck. Piper had to do everything in her power not to lean over and start kissing her neck, up to her jaw line… and her mouth…

"Dude, you left out a semi colon." Alex's statement about made Piper jump out of her skin.

"What?!"

"A semi colon. Right here." Alex laughs as she points to a line on the screen.

Piper looks and sure enough, there is a missing semi colon throwing a wrench in her entire program.

"Gotta watch them semi colons. They'll get you every time." Alex said with her sly smile that killed Piper every time.

"Yeah?" Piper said as she threw a punch into Alex's arm. This kind of physical contact was the only kind that the two allowed; the playful punching or pushing. Alex rolled her chair back to her computer.

"Fuck you." Alex said laughing.

"Okay." Piper laughed back. Alex didn't reply. Piper noticed this and decided to push a little bit for some more clarification.

"See, this is when you say 'No thanks', or 'not my type'. Something of the sort."

"Oh, yeah?" Alex glanced over her shoulder at Piper then back at her computer screen. "I'll keep that in mind."


	4. Chapter 4: Studying

Chapter 4: Studying

Last semester, senior year. By this time Alex and Piper were best friends. Everyone knew that if you saw Alex, Piper wasn't far and same went with Piper. They'd walk to class together, shooting the shit about anything and everything, laughing about the professor's bad dye job, or complaining about the massive work load ahead of them.

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Piper had a class before Alex did so she was always on campus before Alex. This didn't bother Piper since she was always a morning person. Piper started sitting with the same group of people every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the same spot every week. It apparently had become an unwritten hang out for them. After a few weeks of this, Piper spotted Alex walking by in her black leather jacket and flagged her down.

"Hey! Alex!"

Alex turned. She would recognize that voice anywhere. That voice is the voice that follows her to her dreams.

"Come sit with us." Piper motioned for Alex to join the group. "We all have class right before this and again in an hour or so, so we chill here since there's coffee and cinnamon rolls 50 feet over there." Piper said with a smile. Alex was sold with her smile alone. She could have said that gravity makes things fall up and Alex would have believed it as long as she smiled that way.

Alex nonchalantly walked over to where Piper and her group were sitting, but someone was already planted next to Piper.

" _I'll have to make sure I get that seat tomorrow."_ Alex thought, but sat down next to Bennet since they were mutual friends.

Piper laughed with her friends trying not to completely focus on Alex. With her so close she wanted to talk to her alone, but knew that doing so would completely give her feelings away. She still wasn't sure that Alex was even into chicks, let alone her. Piper had no idea, that while Alex was keeping up small talk, she too had her eye on Piper, watching her move her hands as she spoke, wondering what those hands would feel like against her skin.

Piper knew that Alex was not a morning person, so on her way to class the next morning, she sent a text to Alex.

 **Piper: Hey. I'm on my way to class. Want me to pick you up a coffee?**

 **Alex: Dude. That would be awesome. Thanks!**

Alex didn't know, but Piper had already about the coffees hoping she would say "yes". Piper knew her best friend and knew she had a weakness for coffee. Alex and coffee were like Macaroni and cheese. Piper actually hated coffee before hanging out with Alex. She'd dump so much sugar in it just so that it was tolerable. Slowly, though, she started to like the taste. The smell alone reminded her of Alex, which made her smile. Piper was pretty sure she was way over her head with Alex, however, she wasn't sure she could stop it even if she wanted to. Piper just hoped she felt the same.

Walking to class from the coffee shop, Piper spots the tall brunette sitting on the floor outside of class. Alex looked tired with her head covered in a hoodie laid on her knees. Piper grinned at the sight of her friend.

"Hey. I've brought you caffeine."

"Dude… you're amazing." Alex groaned as she slowly lifted her head, eyes still not wanting to open.

Piper reached out her hand to help Alex up. As soon as their hands touched, Piper was filled with such a heat and intense feeling of connection that it felt like someone turned on every light in her chest and released a million butterflies in her stomach. Alex hoped up and reached for the cup of coffee. Piper snapped back to reality.

"Oh! Yeah. Sorry. I guess I'm more tired than I realized." Piper stumbled to get words out.

" _Was that their first physical contact? Was that even real? Did Alex feel anything too? Was that literal electricity? I mean, I know we are in the Chemistry building, but come on, that's some crazy shit!"_

"Apparently." Alex laughed. I think you just dozed off for a second there.

Piper felt like an idiot and laughed. "Better drink fast then. Class is going to start." Piper started to walk first into the classroom with Alex behind.

Alex had to gather her bearing before she could take a step. _"What the fuck was that? I've never felt something like that before. Heat? When we touch? I want to touch her again, but how?"_

Piper and Alex sat in their usual seats next to each other in class. The casual bumps to get each other's attention now had a bit more motive behind them. Piper made it a point to push up her sleeves so that the contact was closer. Alex wanted more. She wanted to touch Piper more.

"Hey, I'm going to study for our Systems exam in the library later. Want to come?" Alex proposed.

"Yeah. I need to study for that. This exam is going to kick my ass if I don't." Piper did need to study, but wasn't sure how much studying she was going to be able to get done. She couldn't get Alex out of her mind.

Library basement. 1:30 am. Alex and Piper are in a study room cramming for the Systems exam. Piper and Alex are both extremely exhausted and had more coffee than either one can remember. They've written problems on the board, they've reviewed Piper's notes, because they both know that Alex's won't be much help, and they've watched more Youtube videos than they probably should have. It was crunch time. They were pulling an all-nighter and the exam was in the morning.

Alex was listening to her music through her headphones.

"Hey, share the wealth." Piper said, nodding her head toward Alex's music.

"Oh, yeah, ok. My bad. Here, I'll put on a playlist." Alex moves her mouse over to her Spotify playlists and scrolls down to the chosen one.

They both sit listening to the music, studying. Alex had chosen a playlist that would covertly let Piper know that she was into her. Would Piper pick up on this? If she was, she wasn't showing any signs that she was. The stress was driving her mad.

"I'm going to run to the restroom." Alex stood up, probably faster than she should have. "Be right back."

"Sure." Piper casually responded, not taking her eyes off the book.

Piper was having a very hard time concentrating on anything. Her mind was on Alex and only Alex. She had been sitting next to her for hours now, just the two of them, alone in a room that no one comes in and out of, and Alex hadn't shown any interest in her at all. All Piper could think of was all the scenarios playing out in her head.

 _Piper and Alex sitting at the computers, reading and studying their own notes, Piper turns, faces Alex, turns Alex around to face her, their eyes meet, and they are both so overwhelmed with passion for one another that their lips meet and Piper finally knows what those lips feel like against hers._

… _or_

 _Alex comes back in the room from her bathroom break, walks straight up to Piper, presses her up against the wall that she's sitting next to, and fiercely kisses her._

Alas… none of those happen. Alex comes back in and sits down at her seat preparing to study again. Alex gets up again, forgetting to close the door behind her and Piper sees an opportunity of playfulness appear – a chance to distract her over active sex drive at the moment.

"Guess what." Piper says with a smile.

"What?" Alex responds as she comes back to sit down.

"Floor." Piper says as she slowly slides the chair out from under Alex. Alex sees the chair slide out from under her, almost catches herself on it, but is too tired to respond fast enough, and falls straight on the floor.

Piper immediately regrets the decision as soon as it happened. She didn't want her to actually fall. Piper honestly thought she'd catch herself. Piper is beginning to apologize profusely, but Alex is laughing. Damn, that laugh. It steals Piper's heart every time. Piper was in love and there was nothing to do about it now.

Piper stuck out her hand to help Alex. Alex reached up and again, they felt that warmth between the two of them, but neither acknowledged it. When Alex was getting up, they laughed.

"I'm so sorry." Piper stutters out.

"It's no big deal. I don't even know why I fell. I saw it going, but didn't catch myself." Alex laughed.

Piper and Alex laughed it off and went back to studying. Well, Piper _tried_ to study. She couldn't stop thinking about Alex. Her touch. Her mouth. Her hands. Everything about her. Piper wanted to know more.

Piper and Alex had a game that they'd use to pass time. It was similar to 20 questions, but didn't stop at 20. Nothing was off limits in their questions. Piper decided to ask a few more.

"What's your favorite feature about yourself?"

"My eyes." Alex responds without hesitation.

"Yeah? I don't think I've ever really looked at your eyes." Piper said casually. She knew she hadn't. She knew that if she did, she'd get lost in them. She knew that looking into the eyes of Alex would send her heart into a spiral that she would never be able to escape.

"Yeah. They're a pretty cool color."

"Here, look at me. Let me see."

Alex turned and Piper looked into the beautiful orbs or Alex's eyes. God, they were gorgeous. She wasn't lying. They were the most stunning eyes Piper had ever seen. Alex looked into Pipers eyes as Piper looked into hers. Alex had stolen glances at Piper's eyes in the past. She knew they were blue and beautiful, but now, looking directly into them, Alex couldn't imagine looking into anything more beautiful. Alex and Piper looked into each other's souls when they looked at each other. The connection was complete.

Piper was official drowning in a pool of Alex and she was completely ok with it as long as Alex felt the same. How the hell was she ever going to find out if Alex felt the same!?

Piper broke the intense look first.

"I'm going to go for a walk around the library. Like. Now." She didn't even try to hide the fact that she was shaken up. She couldn't. She knew she was in love with Alex. She just had to learn how to manage it and be friends with a straight girl.

Walking around the mostly empty library, Piper pulled out her phone. A gif. She had to send a gif. It had to be a good one. One that said I love you without actually saying those exact words. After searching for a minute, Piper knew exactly what she should send.

 **Piper: "Never fall in love with a straight girl. They'll fuck you up every time."**

Read receipt from the text message… Alex read the message…

 _Author's notes:_

 _Hey, the feedback on this story has blown me away. Thank you to everyone for your positive feedback and favorites. I had no idea that people would like the story when I posted it. I actually posted it for someone specifically, but I don't actually know if they'll ever read it. I'm glad others are liking it though. I'm not a writer, so there will be typos and grammar mistakes, but bear with it if you like the story._ _Enjoy the ride_


	5. Chapter 5: How it Ends

_I'd like to apologize up front for this "chapter". It's equivalent to ripping off a band-aid just via writing. This was originally written as a romantic gesture for my Alex, then posted because the story was already partly written. Now it's a lose end that needs tying. This ending is not how it was meant to end when the story started, but this c'est la vie. I_ _get it. The ending is rough and abrasive to the reader. This was not how I envisioned the story ending when I started, but it's been sitting long enough. This is the ending though. No, this ending, or the story probably, does not embody the characters in the show._

Chapter 5: How it Ends

Things never worked out with Piper and her girlfriend. Piper told her she was unhappy and her girlfriend admitted that she was unhappy too. They parted as friends to Piper's shock.

During the winter months, Piper came down with the flu and now alone, knew she needed help. Having no one to call, she called the one person she trusted: Alex. Alex had never been to her house, so in her fever induced state, she gave her address and asked her to please bring some Gatorade and medicine. Alex didn't hesitate. She got in her car, turned on GPS, and did her best to navigate the suburban jungle.

Once there, Piper, braless and embarrassed for looking so crappy, opened the door. Alex walked in immediately instructing her back to bed.

"I can sit on the couch and watch TV." Piper suggested.

"Are you sure?" Alex wasn't convinced. She looked really sick.

Piper laughed. "Not really. Can we watch TV in bed?"

Alex's heart skipped a beat. "Sure." Was all she could get out.

As they laid in Piper's bed, Alex knew she'd probably get sick too, but she didn't care. She wanted to take care of Piper. Piper scooted closer to Alex just wanting to be near her. As Piper fell asleep she nuzzled into her blue university sweatshirt, sick, but happy. Alex tentatively ran her finger through Piper's soft hair, careful not to wake her. This was when Piper knew that she had fallen for Alex - and hard.

Piper came in from a phone call and sat next to Alex without a word as they were studying.

"I got the job!" Grabbed Alex's shoulders.

"That's awesome!" Alex was happy for her. She knew this was the job that she wanted. The problem was that this job would move her 3 states away. Was Alex ready to let her go?

Last winter break before the final semester and Alex and Piper would go their separate ways. Alex had a choice to make. She still hadn't told Piper she was gay let alone that she liked her.

Texts about their fav actress:

Alex: "I know! It's crazy how she can be so sexy with such a subtle smile."

Piper: the way you talk about her I swear you were into her like I am

Alex: maybe I am...

Piper: wait did you just...

Alex: maybe I did...

Piper: you can't do this over text! We need to celebrate! I'm not alone! My best friend is gay too! Yah! Coffee. tomorrow!

It still took some time before Alex said she was into Piper and piper was for sure not going to fuck up their friendship. She's been in relationships. This would be Alex's first. That's a big decision. So Piper waited, but she didn't have to wait too long.

One night, Alex was over for some drinks and movies. It was crash time so Piper told Alex she was welcome to crash in her bed with her.

"I'll be good." Piper joked.

"I don't want you to be." Alex thought to herself.

After laying in bed facing each other for a few minutes, both eyes closed, but wide awake, Alex made the move and kissed Piper. Piper returned the kiss. It was the greatest kiss either had ever felt in their life. Piper rolled on top of Alex and kissed back.

Once they ended the kiss, without a word, they knew that their lives had changed.

They had the best relationship. Every way they positioned themselves they were comfortable. Their hands for just right. Alex's arms fit perfect around Piper. Their minds were a perfect compliment to the other's. Everything was perfect for 6 months.

Then Piped had to move.

That's when the shit hit the fan.

Alex wasn't out to anyone but very close friends and moving with a girlfriend was completely out of the question. She was 23. She wasn't finished living her 20's. Piper was ready to move on and be career focused. Piper had been out for a decade.

Alex started looking at things and realized that she wasn't into Piper as much as she originally thought. She was in love with being gay - not Piper.

So, after Piper moved, during one of their tension full phone calls, piper told her if shes not happy then she should just break up with her.

Alex took the ball and ran.

Alex broke up with Piper.

Piper was crushed. Piper loved Alex so much and thought she loved her too, but she was wrong. Alex loved being gay.

A month later, Alex got another girlfriend. A fellow friend that she and Piper went to school with.

Piper was putting back together pieces and moving on. Eventually Piper found her flow. She started making her mark in her new job and moving up.

After a year's time Alex and Piper are strangers. They never talk. Not sure they would know what to talk about anymore. They used to be the best of friends. Now?

Alex is buying a house and figuring out happiness. Piper loves her job and has found a girlfriend that loves her and can't get enough of her (that's another story in itself).

Is there anything more of Piper and Alex's story? No. The choice was made and now they move in opposite paths.


End file.
